1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to the art of exit signs and, more particularly, to an exit sign which is adapted to be mounted above a doorway and incorporates at least one lighting head that can be rotated and angled into a variety of positions relative to a housing of the exit sign.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Exit signs are commonly found in essentially all commercial buildings. In general, the purpose of an exit sign is to direct a person""s attention to the location of a suitable building exit. To achieve this function, it is known to provide exit signs along corridors in order to lead one to an exit, as well as directly adjacent the exit itself. Typically, such exit signs are mounted on surrounding walls or suspended from a ceiling. In any case, exit signs mark the way for people leaving a building.
In the event of an emergency, such as a building fire, exit signs can play a crucial role in enabling people to safely leave the building in a timely manner. Typically, an audible fire alarm is sounded as an initial indicator of the presence for possibility of a fire. In addition, strobe lights are also often used as visual indicators in such emergency situations, especially in large scale commercial buildings such as hotels, hospitals, convention centers, large office buildings and the like. Furthermore, it is known in the art to provide auxiliary lighting heads on the housing of an exit sign in order to illuminate the area leading to and around the exit.
In accordance with the prior art, such lighting heads have either been fixed in a certain position relative to the housing of the exit sign or permitted to be adjusted to some limited extent. Often, such adjustments require the loosening of a threaded or other type of fastener, an adjustment of the lighting head and then a re-tightening of the fastener. On the other hand, there has been some proposals to provide for certain directional adjustments for the lighting heads relative to the exit housing which do not require the loosening and tightening of mechanical fasteners. However, with such known arrangements, such adjustments are either time consuming or limited in range.
Based on the above, there exists a need in the art for a versatile exit sign incorporating one or more lighting heads wherein each lighting head can be readily repositioned relative to the housing of the exit sign about numerous axes such that the most advantageous lighting configuration can be readily accomplished with minimal effort.
In accordance with the present invention, an exit sign includes a housing provided with wall portions to which one or more lighting heads are attached. In accordance with the most preferred embodiment, a pair of lighting heads are attached to spaced lateral side wall portions of the exit housing. The lighting heads are snap-fit into recessed areas formed in the housing and include a base from which project upper and lower support arms. Each support arm includes an elongated laterally extending portion which leads to a generally vertically extending portion. Each vertically extending portion has a terminal end formed with a plurality of external facets. Interposed between the support arms is a joint element including a pair of opposing aligned holes which are also, preferably, faceted.
With this arrangement, the joint element can be rotated about a substantially vertical axis relative to the support arms. During rotation, the facets of the arms and the joint element interact to define a plurality of detent positions for the joint element. A lighting head is rotatably mounted about a substantially horizontal axis to the joint element at a position defined between the upper and lower openings of the joint element. Most preferably, the joint element is provided with an additional opening that opens laterally of the element and the light head is provided with a connector which is snap-fit into the joint element. With this arrangement, the lighting head can be rotated about a substantially vertical axis defined by the support arms through an angle greater than 180xc2x0 relative to the exit sign housing, while also being rotatable about a substantially horizontal axis through 360xc2x0. Electrical wires for the lighting head extend through the snap connector, into the joint element, through one of the upper and lower support arms and into the exit housing, thereby supplying power to the lighting head. To further enhance the ability to position the lighting head in a desired orientation, the head is formed with an elongated recess into which the snap connector is slidably received such that the lighting head can be angled relative to the snap connector and the joint element by shifting of the lighting head, wherein the snap connector slides within and becomes repositioned within the elongated recess. Due to the configuration of the lighting head, the recess essentially constitutes and defines an arcuate path that extends from one side of the lighting unit, approximately two thirds the way across to an opposing side of the unit.
With this configuration, the lighting heads can be maneuvered in essentially any desired position and along multiple axes. That is, the lighting head can be rotated through more than 180xc2x0 about a vertical axis defined by the support arms, can be rotated about the substantially horizontal axis through the connection of the lighting head to the joint element and the lighting head can be repositioned relative to each of the snap connector, joint element and support arms through the interconnection between the snap connector and the lighting head.
Additional objects, features and advantages of the present invention would be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art, particularly when taken in conjunction with the drawings presented herewith.